Calherbe Monel is eighth to join Spring Valley mayoral race

May 9, 2013

Calherbe Monel

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SPRING VALLEY — Political activist Calherbe Monel is adding his name to the growing list of mayoral hopefuls ahead of election season’s official start next month.

The 40-year-old Haitian native may be familiar to some through his gig as host and producer of “The Monel Show,” which airs Saturdays on public access television. He’s also been a vocal proponent of AIDS prevention and awareness in the region.

Most of the time, the single dad and ordained minister works as a business development director for an IT school and software development company in New Jersey. He graduated from Ramapo High School and Regent University in Virginia.

Monel joins seven other Democrats who plan to compete for a spot on the general-election ballot in the September primary. The petition process starts June 4.

Calling Spring Valley “a village without leaders,” Monel said Thursday that residents “need somebody with the character of leadership and the business skills that can bring people together and find solutions to problems instead of continuing divisions in the community.”

Since Mayor Noramie Jasmin and Deputy Mayor Joseph Desmaret were indicted on mail-fraud charges in a federal corruption scheme last month, several candidates have said they hope to oust Jasmin from the mayor’s seat and put the village on a path to prosperity.

Jasmin has held onto her job and given no indication that she won’t run for re-election.

Monel said his candidacy is not a response to the scandal, but if elected he’d reinstate ethical leadership and public trust by reducing and freezing the mayor’s salary, making village documents more accessible online, broadcasting public meetings and conducting an audit.

He’d form an economic development task force, hold town hall meetings and create a village council with representatives from different neighborhoods to advise the mayor on issues of concern. He’d also pursue public-private partnerships to promote small business growth and fill in the funding gap for students’ sports and activities in the troubled East Ramapo school district, he said.

“It’s a given that we need the money and we can prove it — however, the mayor has to help the school district,” Monel said.

Others running are village Trustees Demeza Delhomme, Joseph Gross and Anthony Leon; Ramapo Councilman Daniel Friedman; village employee and interim East Ramapo school board member Bernard Charles; Miguelino Joseph, a property manager for a Manhattan nonprofit; and community activist Vilair Fonvil.